


Be my Valentine

by xxxtabix



Category: Big Bang (Band), GTOP (Band)
Genre: Childhood Friends, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, Smoking, Valentine's Day Fluff, more like idiots to lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:21:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29439654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxxtabix/pseuds/xxxtabix
Summary: “So, let me get this straight. You want to hire me to be your date to a Valentines party?”
Relationships: Choi Seunghyun | T.O.P./Kwon Jiyong | G-Dragon
Comments: 12
Kudos: 36





	1. An invitation

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by: [this tweet](https://twitter.com/fl0werxroad/status/1358920245549948929?s=20)
> 
> I didn't think I would end up writing this because university is taking a tool on me but I still wanted to give yall something. The GTOP tag is so empty, I hope more writers will maybe come back some day again *sigh* against my original idea, this one will have two parts because it felt right to build up the whole situation a little~
> 
> Dedicated to my lovely moots on twitter who encourage me to do what I love. I love you lots!! (you know who you are, I just don't know if you'll ever end up reading this tho *sad smile*)

Jiyong huffs out a sigh and runs a hand through his white strands. He’s been staring at the computer screen for the past 15 minutes now without getting a word written and a deadline coming closer with every passing minute. It’s a Friday night pushing closer to 8pm and all Jiyong wants to do is go home, put on some trashy movie and cuddle with his cat while eating leftovers out of a can. He declined the offer of his colleague earlier to meet them at some club for drinks and he silently wonders if he’s getting old after all.

A few years ago he frequented clubs a lot, getting drunk on a daily basis with random hook-ups to spend the night, enjoying life to its fullest. But lately he craves for something more, for more stability and security in his life, a stable relationship, someone to come home to. His thoughts flicker to someone briefly but he quickly brushes the upcoming frustration away. Some things should stay in the past, as well as feelings he decided to bury years ago.

The blonde is about to stretch out his tired limbs when suddenly the screen of his phone lights up, announcing a new message. With a side glance, he catches the name flickering across the screen and he quickly reaches for it. It’s a weird coincidence, that Jiyong just thought of him and now he’s messaging him.

With a swipe of his thumb he opens up the message and pulls his bottom lip between his teeth to chew on it.

**_From: Choi Seunghyun_ **

_“Do you have any plans tonight? There’s something I wanna talk with you about.”_

**_From: Kwon Jiyong_ **

_“I have a date with my couch and cat so no. But I’m still stuck at work :(“_

**_From: Choi Seunghyun_ **

_“Then you better finish whatever article you’re brooding over and meet me at Se7en’s in an hour okay?”_

Jiyong snorts but sends a quick “ _Okay_ ” right back. He is curious what the other man wants from him, they haven’t seen each other for months and to be honest, he’s a little nervous. He knows he needs around 15 minutes to walk to the café Seunghyun suggested. He also knows that he can’t leave before he finishes this article. With a groan, he pushes questioning thoughts aside and starts to type.

Jiyong enters the café a little over an hour later, wet to the bone. It has started to snow right after he left the building and of course he forgot his gloves, scarf and hat. He shrugs out of his coat and sends a smile to the owner who is standing behind the counter. Dongwook waves at him and gives him a sly smirk.

“Your date is waiting.”

The blonde can feel the heat shooting in his cheeks and with a quick glance around the room, he spots the brunette sitting in a cozy corner, two drinks already sitting on the table in front of him. Jiyong hurries to the corner without correcting Dongwook and slips into the chair across from Seunghyun.

“Sorry I’m late,” he mumbles while dropping his coat onto the chair next to him before smoothing out his shirt and hair. He must look funny because the amused smile on the older man’s lips is both sending butterflies to Jiyong’s stomach as well as making him nervous. Is his make-up smudged? Does he sport panda eyes? He dabs at his face a few times, unsure of how to feel but Seunghyun makes no comment so he starts to relax a little.

“It’s okay. I guess the sudden snow fall surprised you on your way here,” he states. Jiyong rolls his eyes and throws him a dirty look, making Seunghyun grin and shake his head. “I ordered already because I thought you might need it.”

Jiyong eyes the steaming mug and takes a sip, lips curling up around the rim at the sweet gesture and seriously, he really has to ignore the swarm of butterflies slowly going crazy in his stomach. The warm liquid starts to slowly warm him up from the inside.

“Thank you,” he murmurs and takes another deep sip before he settles back in his chair, taking in the man in front of him. He’s wearing a burgundy checked suit with a cream silk dress shirt underneath, clearly coming from work himself and Jiyong has to hold it in not to drool over the sight. Focus! “What did you wanna talk about?”

Seunghyun leans back into his seat as well and crosses his legs. He rubs his thumb over his chin and casts his eyes away from Jiyong briefly before he starts to speak. “The museum is hosting a party next Friday and you know me, I hardly can pass on that invitation. There’s just a little....catch.” He pauses and licks his lips. “You can only come if you bring a date.”

Jiyong blinks. What?

“In short: I want you to be my date to the party and in exchange for saving me from endless shame and teasing, you can get anything you want from me,” Seunghyun finishes. The wheels in Jiyong’s head start to slowly turn as he proceeds what he just heard. Seunghyun basically asked him on a date, even if it may not be because of reasons Jiyong actually hoped for.

“Next week Friday is-” Jiyong’s fingers curl around the hem of his shirt as he realises the date. “Valentines day.”

Seunghyun cocks his head to the side but nods.

“So, let me get this straight,” Jiyong starts slowly. “You want to hire me to be your _date_ to a Valentines party?”

“First of all, there is no way that we can get this ‘ _straight_ ’,” Seunghyun muses with a boyish grin that makes his eyes crinkle and Jiyong wants to die right on the spot, he looks so cute yet handsome and it’s truly unfair. “Second of all, yes that’s exactly what I wanna do. Okay maybe not _hire_ you because that would be a little too strange. It’s more of an asking for a favor, from friend to friend.”

Jiyong arches a perfectly groomed brow while wrapping his cold fingers tightly around the hot mug. He can’t remember a time when Seunghyun actually asked him for a favor. Maybe it’s also given to the fact that it’s been a while since they last saw each other but Jiyong can’t help the way he still feels about the older man.

Being childhood friends, they grew up in the same neighbourhood, went to the same school before eventually parting ways when Seunghyun moved away for his studies. Jiyong stayed in the same place, went to college and is now working as a journalist for a local agency. They lost contact somewhere along the way, with both of them being busy with their own lives and careers. That’s until Seunghyun moved back just a few months prior because he landed himself a job at a local art museum as curator. He invited him to the opening of the first exhibition he planned and who was Jiyong to say no? It was weird at first, seeing each other for the first time after 6 years but after some time their awkwardness faded and they fell back into their natural banter, enjoying each other's company.

That’s why Jiyong is a little torn at this very moment. He knows that if he agrees to this, his old feelings he harbored for the older man will resurface with such force that it will be impossible to store them away so easily again. It’s not like Jiyong ever denied his serious crush on his friend, except for he never told him how he felt because he’s a coward and rather want to have Seunghyun as a friend than make their relationship awkward with a failed confession.

On the other hand, Jiyong is weak. So weak that he finds himself nodding slowly and at the proposition and Seunghyun’s eyes light up, an emotion Jiyong can’t quite decipher flashing through his eyes.

“Really? You will come with me?” he asks just to be sure and Jiyong wants to scream at him, that he would most definitely always say yes to whatever the other man would ask him to do because he is so embarrassingly smitten with him even after years of no contact. But he holds back and simply nods, biting the inside of his cheek.

Seunghyun lets out a little breath of relief and hangs his head in a grateful manner.

“Seriously, I thought you’d say no for some odd reason,” he confesses. Strangely, the statement makes Jiyong's heart clench uncomfortably. Why would he think that?

“We are friends, of course I wouldn’t let you down,” he mumbles. The smile Seunghyun sends his way doesn’t quite reach his eyes and once again Jiyong finds himself confused by the mixed behaviour the other man sends off.

“You could’ve said no and I wouldn’t have been mad at you, you know. Don’t feel obligated just because I don’t wanna get teased at work,” Seunghyun says softly but Jiyong just shakes his head. He wonders if the other man even knows how charismatic he is.

“I’d love to be your date,” Jiyong says. And somehow the way he words it feels like Seunghyun just asked him to a normal Valentines date and not because he is in need of a plus one to a party of art people because strangely enough, there is a condition to bring someone.

“Great, I will pick you up Friday night then. Dress to impress.”

Jiyong chuckles and hangs his head. What did he get himself into?

When Jiyong comes into the office on Friday morning, Seungri walks past him with a grin on his face. “I didn’t know you have a secret admirer,” he chirps but before Jiyong can ask him what the hell he’s talking about, the younger is already in the elevator. Mildly confused, Jiyong makes his way to his office when he spots the bouquet of flowers sitting on the table through the glass windows.

His eyes widen in surprise as he takes in the white and yellow daisies wrapped in dark pink paper. Once he is close enough to reach them, he searches for a card but he finds none. He still smiles as he takes a seat, wondering who would be as attentive as to send him flowers, especially his favourite ones. It’s no secret he loves daisies so the possibility of getting this fact right is not that small. Still, the tiny flicker of hope they could be from a certain tall and handsome art curator remains for the rest of Jiyong’s shift.

Seunghyun picks him up at 20:30 and Jiyong’s mouth goes dry at the sight of him. The older man decided to wear a black suit with a checked dress shirt and a matching, simple black tie. The bright pink pocket square perfectly manages to break the stoic look into something equally elegant and playful. The long, dark coat draped over his broad frame just rounds the whole appearance. It fits Seunghyun so utterly well that Jiyong suddenly feels ridiculous next to him as he looks down at himself.

He decided to go for a simple black suit and his favourite dress shirt with black and white polka dots, completing it with his favourite red fluffy Chanel coat his parents got him for his birthday last year. Nothing as fancy as Seunghyun who gives him a smile and a short once over from the driver's seat before he pulls out of the parking space.

Silence settles over them from the beginning, with Seunghyun concentrating on the road while Jiyong fiddles with his phone, scrolling through instagram and rolling his eyes at all the lovey dovey couple pictures laughing at his face. He leaves two yellow hearts at his best friend's post that shows him and his girlfriend at a restaurant, smiling for the camera in a cute way before he averts his eyes to glance Seunghyun’s way. From the side he looks even more handsome and Jiyong faintly wonders how it would feel like to trace his distinctively strong jawline with his fingers or tongue-

He shakes his head quickly and looks away, hoping that his cheeks aren’t as hot as they feel in this very moment.

They arrive after 20 minutes and pull up the driveway of a fancy looking villa. Jiyong has no idea how people in the art world define a ‘Valentines party’ so he’s both curious and eager to find out. They climb up the stairs after Seunghyun quickly fetches something from the backseat and ring the bell, waiting patiently until a woman opens the door. She’s wearing a beautiful red dress that stops mid-thigh and brings out her extremely long legs. Jiyong instantly feels a little uneasy as she leans forward to pull Seunghyun into a semi hug.

“Seunghyun, finally! We thought you would back out last minute and not come. And I see you brought your boyfriend, it’s lovely to finally meet you.”

Jiyong’s mouth goes dry and his eyes widen a little at the term, looking to Seunghyun for a second to see if he corrects her but he doesn’t. He just returns the smile and puts his left hand on the small of Jiyong’s back, startling the younger at the intimate gesture.

“I couldn’t show up alone now could I? This is Kwon Jiyong, Jiyong this is Cho Seoyeon, the hostess of the party and my boss.”

Jiyong quirks his lips up in a small smile and bows to her. “It’s nice to meet you as well, Seoyeon-sshi.”

The woman covers her mouth to hide her smile and throws a knowing look Seunghyun’s way before she turns around. “You know your way around, Seunghyun. Enjoy the night.”

Jiyong wonders for a moment what that statement means but he can’t ponder on the thought too long because Seunghyun leans into his personal space all of a sudden, the faint smell of his cologne filling Jiyong’s nostrils. “If at any point tonight, this woman encourages me to drink with her, please make sure I don’t.” Jiyong turns his head a little to look at the older with a raised brow in question, but Seunghyun only grins and shrugs. “She can out drink me way too easily and I wanna get us home safely.”

Nudging his hand against his lower back, Seunghyun then leads Jiyong through the hallway to the next room. They find themselves in a spacious living room, various artworks are adorning the walls complimenting the dark mahogany furniture in a gracious way. Jiyong can also spot a few figurines placed in different corners before his eyes land on the food and drinks propped up near the long glass window right across the room. There are around 30 people in the room, chatting or dancing, with glasses of wine or something else in their hands. Music is playing from somewhere but nothing classy like Jiyong expected, it’s pretty mainstream. It’s strangely...mundane.

“You were expecting something else right? Old people sitting in groups, talking about art and a glass of scotch in hand,” Seunghyun whispers close to his ear and Jiyong can feel the blush forming on his cheeks.

“No,” he lies but he knows Seunghyun doesn’t believe him.

“I’ll get rid of our coats and then get us something to drink. I wanna introduce you to my colleagues and friends,” he says and Jiyong almost tells him not to bother because that would mean Seunghyun would stop touching him and Jiyong decided to be selfish tonight, to have this wonderful man all for himself just this once, especially if people think they are a couple. A taste of something he yearns for but is too cowardly to go for. He also still can’t believe he didn’t correct Seoyeon.

He wanders further inside the room after he handed over his coat and smoothes out his shirt, feeling a little out of place without Seunghyun by his side. It’s not like he isn’t interested in art because he is, he owns a few himself. But it’s always been Seunghyun’s field, his passion and Jiyong kind of stumbled into it because of him. To hear him talk about it with such a passion, Jiyong wondered if he will ever be able to find something that fulfills him just as much.

A tall man with broad shoulders and thin lips makes his way over to him, giving him an obvious once-over before he looks back into his eyes and cocks his head.

“Hi there pretty. What’s your name?” he asks in a totally flirty manner that takes Jiyong aback a little. He wasn’t aware that those people would be so open about public affection, especially if it’s with the same sex.

“Kwon Jiyong,” he replies and he catches himself looking for Seunghyun, he feels weird talking to his colleagues alone. But he can’t spot the tall man anywhere so he is on his own.

“And how come you are here, Kwon Jiyong? Are you a new worker at the museum?” the strange wonders aloud while taking a small step forward.

Jiyong automatically takes a step back and shrieks when he bumps into something- or rather someone. The stranger looks past him and his lips quirks up in an oily smile.

“Look who is finally gracing us with his presence. We thought you would stay at home and ditch us.”

“You would like that wouldn’t you, Kyungsoo,” the deep timbre of Seunghyun’s voice makes Jiyong relax and he intends to step away from him but he feels a hand slipping around his waist, resting on his hip bone comfortably. Jiyong bites his lip and lets him. Kyungsoo follows the gesture with his eyes and raises a brow in a supercilious way and sighs deeply.

“Should’ve known that you would land yourself a pretty boy like him. It was a pleasure meeting you, Kwon Jiyong,” he says in an almost mocking way before retreating, vanishing among the other guests.

“Asshole,” Seunghyun breathes and Jiyong can’t help but giggle at the grim voice right behind him. He still didn’t remove his hand and Jiyong secretly hopes for Seunghyun to keep touching him through the night. Turning in his semi embrace, he looks up and sees the frown sitting on his handsome face.

“So not all of them are your friends huh?” he wonders and Seunghyun shakes his head. “Some are just stuck up snobs that think they know everything about anything. Kyungsoo is one of them so I’ll make sure we won’t run into him again tonight.”

A soft tingle starts to bubble in his stomach at the protectiveness that swings in the last sentence. He fetches the glass of red wine Seunghyun got him and takes a small sip as he is being led to a group of people. Seunghyun’s hand never leaves his hip.

It’s well into the night when Jiyong sits down for the first time. Against all his better judgement, the party is more fun than he initially thought. Seunghyun’s friends are fun and witty and great drinkers, he knows why the older man feels so comfortable at his workplace. And maybe Jiyong is a little jealous about that fact. He only has two close friends at the office, Seungri and Daesung, but he already knows them from high school so that doesn’t count.

He sinks further into the cushions and closes his eyes for a moment. After Kyungsoo left, Seunghyun started to introduce him to a bunch of different people and all of them instantly took Jiyong as ‘the boyfriend’. And because Seunghyun again did nothing to correct them, Jiyong decided to just roll with it and not try to figure out the extremely mixed signals coming from the other man in general. The way he would sometimes lean in a little closer while talking, the hand on his lower back or around his waist that would tighten their grip whenever Kyungsoo would glance their way. Or the soft brush of his lips against his ear when he would lean in closer to whisper a joke or anecdote, turning into a giggling dork.

The couch dips next to him and he opens his eyes again to find Bom sitting next to him. She brushes her auburn hair out of her face and lets out a heavy sigh.

“My shoes are killing me,” she mutters and Jiyong can’t help but giggle, slamming a hand over his mouth. His eyes shimmer with a hint of an apology and Bom playfully punches his shoulder.

“You and Seunghyun are truly made for each other. He’s always teasing me at work as well even though I’m older than him. Such a tease.” Rubbing her aching calves, she pushes her feet up and rests them on the small coffee table in front of them. Jiyong looks around to see if anyone notices the bold action but no one is looking their way.

“I would disagree on that last part but I sadly can’t because he’s the same with me.”

“So you would disagree with the rest?”

Jiyong looks at her with his mouth slightly open, honestly taken aback. Bom eyes him with curious eyes, her deep dark red lips forming into the most adorable pout. “No I mean...well.” He bites his lower lip and looks at his hands where his thumb is pressing into the tattoo there. How should he explain to her that they aren’t exactly dating when he didn’t correct her earlier?

“A very humble man, Seunghyun should be lucky to have you. And you look so cute together, it’s obvious he adores you a lot,” she continues. Jiyong looks up again, confused. What does she mean?

“What?”

Bom rolls her eyes and nods into Seunghyun’s direction who is currently talking to Seoyeon and a man who introduced himself as John earlier. Jiyong instantly didn’t like him but Seunghyun seems to be smitten with his older co-worker so Jiyong swallowed his obvious jealousy down. He hears a giggle coming from the woman next to him as his gace tears away from the small group. There’s a knowing smirk gracing her lips.

“Don’t worry about John, he is seeing someone.”

Feeling the blood rush to his cheeks, he quickly tries to cover his face and taps against it to reduce the redness that is clearly visible because Bom lets out a heartfelt laugh at his poor try to hide his jealousy.

“You are both very obvious, actually. The way you look at him screams true love. I’m sure we will see each other again at the next event, you’re actually fun to talk to,” she continues and Jiyong wants to sink into the ground at this very moment. What does she mean he is _obvious as well_? His stomach turns at the thought of Seunghuyn knowing and not saying anything out of politeness, so it won’t get awkward. God, this is so embarrassing.

“Noona…” he starts but Bom just shakes her head. “I am just teasing you, Jiyong.”

A comfortable silence settles over them after that with Jiyong getting lost in his own thoughts. The words just won’t leave his head and he starts to second guess every little gesture he did or received from the other man. Why would he ask him to be his fake date to this party in the first place? And there is something else that just won’t add up to him.

“By the way,” Jiyong starts slowly, his curiosity winning over at last, “who came up with this weird condition that you have to bring a date or you can’t attend this party?”

Bom furrows her brows in confusion. “Huh, there’s no such condition. Who told you this nonsense?”

Feeling a sudden rush of hope flooding through his body, Jiyong chuckles and casts another glance in Seunghyun’s direction who is surprisingly looking right back at him. A broad smile slips on his lips that the older man returns and for a moment it feels like the world stopped around them.

“Nevermind, I may have missed something there.”

It doesn’t take much longer for his body to crave for a cigarette. Old habits die hard, he knows it's bad but fuck it. Slipping out into the backyard, Jiyong quickly lights a stick and takes a deep drag. It’s even colder than before and his suit only spends so much warmth that he can last for a few minutes.

The slide of the door behind him makes his head whip around and he sees Seunghyun stepping out into the cold.

“Mind if I join you?”

Jiyong shakes his head and offers up his pack. The other man snatches a stick out and puts it between his lips, pats his pants in the search for his lighter and groans when he can’t seem to find it. Without a second thought, Jiyong leans in and nudges the tip of his own stick against Seunghyun’s long enough so it lights up.

When he leans back, he hopes his face stays neutral but the look his hyung is giving him says it all. He casts his eyes to the ground and blows another puff of smoke out into the air.

“Are you having fun?” Seunghyun asks instead of commenting on the action.

“Your colleagues are fun. I was pleasantly surprised,” Jiyong confesses, earning a chuckle from the other man. “You thought this would be a boring party with lectures about art didn’t you.”

Jiyong only grins bashfully. “Touché.”

Smoking the rest of his stick, Jiyong quickly looks around and luckily finds an ashtray not far away from him. When he turns around he almost runs into the other man who took a few steps closer, his face only a few inches away from Jiyong’s and his breath hitches.

“Did I already tell you that you look absolutely gorgeous tonight?” he asks, his voice dropping an octave making it almost impossible to catch but Jiyong heard him.

His whole body goes still as he waits for whatever happens next but Seunghyun just stares at him, standing still like a stature. He can see his eyes flicker between his eyes and then down to his lips for the briefest second. The air around them is suddenly filled with tension and Jiyong knows that the other can feel it too. It would be so easy to lean up and press their lips together for a gentle kiss but he can’t be sure of the reaction.

“Hyung,” he whispers instead, breaking the magic that has spiraled their way up between them.

Seunghyun blinks and then moves away, a hand coming up to run through his perfectly styled hair. A few strands get loose and fall onto his forehead but Jiyong stops himself from reaching out and brushing them back again.

“It’s getting cold, we should get back inside,” Seunghyun finally murmurs and reaches around Jiyong to put out his own stick before he turns around and holds the door open for him. Straightening up a bit, Jiyong flashes him a grateful smile and steps back into the warm room, feeling the other man’s presence close to his back.

This right there outside, it wasn’t something Jiyong can brush off as friendly behaviour. He has to think back to what Bom said earlier and maybe it’s time for Jiyong to be bold and step up his game. The night is not over yet.


	2. Of blanket forts and broken vases

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He has secretly been hoping for a family to move in because that would mean just maybe his dream of having his very own treehouse would come true after all. And seeing the boy standing there, with a backpack slung over his shoulder, taking in his new surroundings, made another hope bloom.
> 
> Finding a new friend.
> 
> The boy returned a shy smile of his own and waved back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this second chapter took me longer than I thought it would. There were two passages that wouldn't come out the way I wanted to, I'm still not satisfied with them but when will I ever really be? Lol anyway I passed my exam from last month so there's that~  
> Also this will have more than two parts, there are some things that came to my mind that will make this fic rounder and let's face it, I'm a sucker for the childhood friend/idiots turned lovers trope 😌
> 
> PS.: Korean age is one big ball of CONFUSION so I took the freedom I have as an author to ditch that system and go by western age for the sake of my poor brain.

Jiyong has mainly fond memories of his childhood.

He grew up in a fairly quiet neighbourhood of Seoul and had no problem in finding friends from the first day he stepped into kindergarten. His mother always told him that he was constantly full of energy and that it sometimes was a little hard to tame him. They lived in a house at the very end of the street, with a backyard that was big enough for Jiyong to go wild and a large tree growing just in the middle to the other property. Jiyong always secretly hoped his father would build a treehouse with him but their neighbour refused, much to Jiyong’s displeasure.

That changed when one day, vans started to park in front of the house and men started to move box after box outside leading to only one conclusion - the greasy neighbor finally moved out. Jiyong watched with a huge grin on his lips as the last boxes were placed in the red vehicle and they drove off, leaving the place empty.

And it didn’t take long for someone to move in either.

Jiyong remembers how hot it was that day and that he has been playing with a few kids from the neighbourhood on the street. An old pickup was driving down the street and stopped right in front of the house that has been empty for the last three weeks.

Stopping in his tracks, Jiyong looked over to where a woman was getting out of the driver’s seat, followed by a young girl that looked like his own sister’s age. And then a boy was rounding the car, his gaze wandering around nervously before his eyes landed on Jiyong. They stared at each for a brief moment before Jiyong’s frown split into a huge smile and he waved over at the new face. He has secretly been hoping for a family to move in because that would mean just maybe his dream of having his very own treehouse would come true after all. And seeing the boy standing there, with a backpack slung over his shoulder, taking in his new surroundings, made another hope bloom.

Finding a new friend.

The boy returned a shy smile of his own and waved back.

Jiyong’s room was located on the first floor, with his window facing the house the new family just moved into. He always had the perfect view into the room that was facing him and that the previous owner used as his office, even though he mainly had the blinds pulled down. More often than not he gave Jiyong the stink-eye for watching him but Jiyong couldn’t care less.

To Jiyong’s delight, he spotted the boy coming into the room the following day, unpacking a box full of stuffed animals. He ran to the window and watched him for a little bit, moving around his new room and putting away some action figures next. Jiyong secretly wondered if he was the same age as him and if he should go over and introduce himself.

Tearing his eyes away, Jiyong ran downstairs to the living room to find his mother wrapping up a strange looking plant he’s never seen before. The large fronds were covered in oblong shaped holes and it looked like a worm had its lunch destroying the poor plant.

“What are you doing, eomma?” Jiyong asked, his curiosity unleashed. His mother chuckled and pointed to the plant in front of her.

“I am wrapping up the housewarming gift for our new neighbours. They invited us over for this afternoon. I expect you to dress nicely and behave,” she explained, eliciting a pout to form on the young boy’s lips that quickly devolved into an excited smile. He would finally be able to meet the boy and maybe they would become friends.

He really hoped they would.

A few hours later, when his father also returned from work, the Kwons rang the bell at their new neighbour’s place. Still being the small boy he was, Jiyong couldn’t exactly catch the last name of the family but then again he didn’t care for now.

A woman opened the door and they all bowed to each other. She wore a warm smile that reminded Jiyong of his own mothers and greeted them in a calm voice.

“Welcome and thank you for joining us. Please come in.”

Following the woman inside, Jiyong glanced around the hallway. There were paintings hanging on the wall, abstract and highly confusing so Jiyong didn’t pay them much attention. When they reached the living room, he already saw some of the other neighbours gathered around a table, chatting with each other.

Jiyong also spotted the boy with the backpack and looked up to his mother.

“Can I go talk to him?” he asked while pointing to the boy and his mother nodded. “Go make a friend, Jiyong-ah.”

With his ever positive nature backing him up, Jiyong strode over to the boy and tapped his shoulder. He bit his lip as the other flinched but turned around, eyes wide and a hint of uncertainty swinging along.

“Hi,” Jiyong said and bowed, his parents raised him to be polite after all. “My name is Kwon Jiyong and I live next door with my parents and sister. What is your name?”

The boy who was taller than him, Jiyong noticed that as he stood right in front of him, stared at him and for a moment Jiyong feared he might have scared the poor boy too much with his bright and sunny personality. But then the other bowed back at him and mumbled.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Choi Seunghyun.”

“Cool,” Jiyong grinned, fiddling with his hands as he sensed Seunghyun was still a little uneasy.

“You look like you’re older than me. So I will call you hyung, okay?” he continued which eventually brought a small smile to the other boy’s lips.

“Sure, I don’t mind.”

Silence settled over the two boys and Jiyong wondered what else he could say to make the other speak. He wasn’t used to someone so quiet but that was alright, he was determined to become his friend anyway.

Jiyong was 5 when he became friends with Choi Seunghyun, the quiet boy from next door.

  
  
~

“Penny for your thoughts?” a deep voice pulls Jiyong out of his daydreams and he quickly shakes his head. He didn’t realise that he kept standing in the doorway, lost in memories of his own childhood and how he met Seunghyun the first time.

Taking a step aside, he lets Seunghyun slip into the warm room as well while he clenches his own hands, his fingers have started to go numb by the few minutes they spent outside.

“Oh well nothing big, I just thought back to the time you moved in next to us and you were still pure and innocent,” Jiyong says, the obvious teasing nature of his voice making Seunghyun laugh.

“What do you mean I _was_? I still am pure and innocent.” Forming his lips into an adorable pout, Seunghyun gives Jiyong the most innocent look but instead of laughing at his ridiculous antics, Jiyong just stares at his friend. In this moment, there is something even more charming and handsome coming from the older man, slithering right into Jiyong’s heart.

Seunghyun seems to notice that his words don’t have the desired effect and his pout quickly transforms into a worried frown.

“Jiyong, are you okay?”

With another quick shake of his head, Jiyong pushes the back of his hand against his cheek and forehead to distract himself from the weird feeling starting to pool in the pitch of his stomach.

“I’m fine ah...I think the quick change from the cold outside into the warmth inside made me a little dizzy, that’s all.”

“Do you wanna sit down?” Seunghyun asks, worry swinging in his voice now while his hand reaches out to rest on Jiyong’s hip. Not waist, _hip_.

Jiyong’s eyes zero in on Seunghyun’s warm brown ones and it’s just like a few minutes ago outside, a moment just between the two of them. His mouth opens and closes but there’s no sound coming out, his brain is suddenly wiped of all rational thoughts.

“Jiyong,” Seunghyun murmurs again, now pushing against his hip to lead him towards the bathroom.

Once the door falls shut behind him, Jiyong snaps out of his stupor and sighs. His mind is a whole mess of questions and confusion towards this complicated man who still has this worried expression on his face.

He reaches for the tap and leans down to splash just a little water on his cheeks without ruining his make-up. Even though he didn’t outdo himself for tonight it’s still there, very decent but there.

“Maybe you shouldn’t drink much more if you feel dizzy,” Seunghyun says and Jiyong rolls his eyes.

“Don’t worry, hyung, I can handle my alcohol. Besides, it’s no fun without alcohol,” he chuckles, his subconscious jumping of joy because of the worry Seunghyun is having for him like a real boyfriend.

“You’re having fun...right? With me here?”

There it is again, the question Seunghyun just asked him earlier on the balcony. Looking up from the sink, Jiyong glances to the older man leaning against the door, a frown back on his handsome face, eyebrows knitted in a way Jiyong hates to see. It means Seunghyun is doubting himself again with whatever crazy thought he has right now, overthinking and he suddenly remembers that it’s nothing new, actually.

  
  
~

It’s been a few months since the Chois moved in next door and Jiyong made it his personal goal to develop a friendship with the big boy. There was something Jiyong couldn’t quite explain about the other boy that made him want to spend time with him. Maybe it was his constant goal to put a smile on the older boy’s lips or elicit a laugh from him.

He sure did have a beautiful laugh.

They spent time together in their rooms whenever Seunghyun was done with his school work and was allowed to have him over. They often played with Seunghyun’s toys or Jiyong’s legos, sometimes they found their way outside in the backyard and lingered on a huge blanket while pretending to be pirates or knights.

And even though Jiyong wasn’t the type to stay inside all day, he didn’t mind with Seunghyun. Of course he also still met his other friends outside to play football on the street, not as often anymore because he rather spent his time with Seunghyun who never tagged along when more kids were involved.

He always found an excuse so he wouldn’t have to come with him and at first Jiyong thought he was too shy to befriend others. The thought made him feel special and proud because it seemed like he was Seunghyun’s only friend.

It was on a day at the end of July when Jihoon, one of his neighbourhood friends, asked if he wants to play with some others and him on the streets. But Jiyong shook his head, he already had plans with Seunghyun because the boy was on a break from school and honestly, Jiyong wanted to use the time they could spend together.

Jihoon rolled his eyes and mumbled a “He makes you so boring,” before he retreated and ran to the other kids, kicking the ball on the ground to start the game.

Jiyong watched after him for a second with a thoughtful look on his face, the words Jihoon just said swirling around his head before he pushed them aside in his childish mind. He put on his shoes and made his way over through the garden to the Choi's.

Seunghyun’s mother was putting the fresh laundry up to dry when she noticed Jiyong coming closer.

“Good afternoon Jiyong-ah. Seunghyun is upstairs. Take your shoes off before you go inside,” she said and Jiyong bowed with a nod before he quickly went inside. He climbed the stairs to Seunghyun’s room and knocked on the door before he entered after hearing the quiet voice of his friend.

Seunghyun was laying on his stomach on the bed, a comic book resting in front of him and he looked up when he saw Jiyong coming inside.

“Hyung!” Jiyong exclaimed cheerfully and plopped down onto the floor next to his friend, looking up at him.

“What are you doing?”

The corners of Seunghyun’s lips quirked up a bit as he pointed to the comic.

“Reading.”

Jiyong scrunched up his nose and took a peak over the edge. He didn’t come here so they would spend the day in Seunghyun’s room, reading comic books once again. He wanted to do something exciting, something outdoor because the weather was perfect, not too hot with the right amount of wind.

“Let’s do something else.”

Jiyong felt the shift of the bedsheets as the other boy sat up and started to fiddle with the hem of his shirt, a nervous habit Jiyong would only later recognise as such.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, maybe go outside? We could join Jihoon and the others-” Jiyong started but trailed off as he saw the look Seunghyun gave him, his eyes widened a little and his form slumped down, his shoulders hanging down like in defense.

“If you wanna join them then you can do that. I will just stay inside,” the bigger boy mumbled and reached for the comic again, turning the page he left off.

Jiyong crossed his arms in front of his chest and shook his head.

“No, I told them I had plans with you, I won’t go to them alone. But why don’t you wanna join, hyung? I’m sure it will be fun,” Jiyong continued.

The smile Seunghyun gave him didn’t quite reach his eyes but Jiyong’s thoughts were already outside with the warm summer weather, too far away for him to notice.

“You can go have fun with _them_ if you like,” he said quietly, his eyes glued to the current page without turning it.

Jiyong looked at his friend’s form from the side, how his dark hair fell into his face to hide his features, how his fingers were still curled into his shirt and how he bit his lip as if to hold back from showing any more emotions.

But being a kid, Jiyong didn’t understand the signs just yet.

So he brushed it off and got up from the spot he sat a few seconds ago, jumping onto the bed right in front of Seunghyun whose head snapped up, eyes wide.

“Let’s do it like that: we build a fort in the garden so we are outside and you can bring all your comics and you can show me okay?”

Seunghyun seemed to consider his words for a few moments before he nodded. A grin spread on Jiyong’s lips as he pulled the older boy up.

“Silly hyung,” Jiyong whispered to himself as they made their way downstairs to join Seunghyun’s mother in the garden.

  
~  
  


“Of course I’m having fun, hyung,” Jiyong says softly after drying his face and standing up straight. He reaches out for the older man and without a second thought, pulls his hands into his own, squeezing them lightly. The frown is still there, turning his face in an ugly grimace and Jiyong wishes he could just kiss it away.

“When did I ever _not_ have fun with you?”

“I don’t know...maybe there was a time and you never told me? Because you didn’t want to hurt my feelings?”

Seunghyun casts his eyes away and looks at the plant pushed back into the corner of the bathroom. His lips are pressed into a thin line and Jiyong can actually see the small lines around the corner of his lips, giving away just how tense he is.

“Where is this all coming from all of a sudden?” he asks instead of answering, his quiet voice louder than imagined in the small bathroom. He takes another step forward to invade Seunghyun’s personal space but still leaving enough room for the other man to back out.

Seunghyun finally looks back at him, a tiny flicker of sadness flashing through his eyes before it’s gone.

And that’s when Jiyong gets it. He’s speaking from experience.

“Hey, whatever happened in the past and made you have a bad experience...I’m not like that, okay? I’ve known you for so long, _you_ have known _me_ for so long. You would’ve realised if I was lying to you,” Jiyong says, his thumbs stroking over the back of Seunghyun’s larger hands.

Jiyong thought he said the right thing, to reassure Seunghyun whose mood made such a sudden shift from all happy and smiles to sad and unsure. But instead, the frown devolves into a sad smile and he withdraws his hands from the light grip.

“You know as well as me that people are good liars, some more than others.”

And with that, Seunghyun leaves the bathroom, leaving behind an even more confused Jiyong than before.

When Jiyong steps back into the room, he realises it’s close to midnight already but there’s no sign of the party ending any minute. Moreover, it looks like it only just began when he sees a few people gathering around the round table pushed into one of the corners. Scanning the room, Jiyong tries to make out Seunghyun when his sight is suddenly blocked by a tall figure stopping in front of him.

“I was hoping to catch you alone tonight at some point- Wait no, that came out wrong, scratch that,” the man - Jiyong faintly remembers him being introduced as Soohyuk - says, a sheepish smile on his lips.

“What?” Jiyong manages to choke out, a little taken aback at the weird start of this conversation.

Soohyuk groans and runs a hand through his hair.

“Sorry, I’m not the best talker after a few drinks. I just wanted to say I was hoping to speak you without your shadow that is your boyfriend to get to know you a little better-”

Jiyong’s eyebrows fly up to his hairline and Soohyuk whines, clearly not amused with himself either.

“Ah shit, _sorry._ I’ve known Seunghyun hyung for a few years now and I was hoping to catch you to find out of everything he told me about you is actually true.” The satisfied look after he manages to say what he wanted to from the beginning without sounding like a creep isn’t what Jiyong focuses on, it’s what he just said that peaks his interest.

“Seunghyun talked about...me? How long have you known him?”

Jiyong’s eyes still travel across the room in the search for Seunghyun but his attention shifts back to Soohyuk who snaps his fingers loudly in his face.

“Hey loverboy, your man won’t run off, don't worry. I’ve known him for about 4 years now. I met him during his time in New York actually. Not the best time for him but that didn’t stop me from pulling that poor man out of his own misery,” he says while pushing a finger against his bottom lip.

Jiyong’s brain is working fast doing the maths, still wondering when in those 4 years Seunghyun could’ve talked about him because they lost contact _after_ Seunghyun moved to the States. Time differences and hectic work hours were no good base to hold contact.

It always made Jiyong a little sad though, that they lost each other along the way despite being joined by the hip all those years prior.

“Don’t worry, he didn’t tell me bad stories about. Actually, only fun ones from your childhood. How you once broke his grandpa’s vase he inherited from his aunt that cost like half a fortune or when you guys skipped school just to buy the newest comic books.”

Jiyong could feel the blush creeping back onto his cheeks at the mention of the first incident he desperately wanted to erase from his memories. And Seunghyun just told someone about that?

“He promised to never tell anyone. Lying bastard,” Jiyong grumbles, cheeks still hot and red from embarrassment but Soohyuk only laughs and waves him off.

“Don’t be angry with him, I basically dragged the information out of him one night while we were drinking because he kept making a long and sad face. He told me you guys lost contact and that it was his fault and that he wasn’t sure if he should contact you or not.”

Soohyuk’s eyes turn softer, gentler at his following words.

“He had that look on his face when he talked about you. He still has. So you better keep him.”

Looking down to stop the stupid smile from breaking out, Jiyong bites his lower lip hard and closes his eyes. Just how many more mixed signals and hints does he have to find for this weird puzzle to eventually start making sense?

“I never blamed him for losing contact. We just drifted apart over the years,” Jiyong says.

“And all those years he kept talking about you.”

Jiyong lifts his head again, the smile on the taller man’s lips is sympathetic, like he had this conversation before once.

“Seunghyun is a gentle and romantic soul but the poor boy can be pretty dense sometimes. He always thinks people don’t understand him when in reality he’s an open book when it comes to the people he loves. I knew from the first minute he put your name in his mouth that you are something special. So I hope to see you around in the future, alright?”

Soohyuk pats Jiyong’s shoulder before he strolls away to another group of people, leaving Jiyong standing in the corner all by himself, slowly processing the new learnt information.

Seunghyun talked about him, during his time in New York, after Jiyong thought they drifted apart.

A new feeling of hope pulls deep inside his stomach, a flicker of something that might seem not as far away as he thought it would be. And he knows that he needs to talk to Seunghyun.

Searching the room again, he finally spots his friend among a small group of people, a drink in hand, laughing loudly.

And for a moment Jiyong just watches him, studies his features and every twitch of his muscle whenever he laughs again or takes another sip. His handsomeness really outshines everyone in this room and once again Jiyong just wishes that all this here is real - that they are dating and came together as a _couple_.

“Stop being a coward and stop being distracted from his good looks and his charm and his…” Jiyong mumbles as he pushes forward, making his way to Seunghyun. Bom and his boss are swaying at each side of him, both of them with glasses of some scary looking liquid in hand.

_Don’t let her persuade me into drinking with her._

Jiyong faintly remembers what Seunghyun asked him to do earlier and how good that worked out.

His hyung’s cheeks are flushed and his eyes flicker back from whatever held his attention first to when Jiyong stops next to him. Like a kid on Christmas, his eyes light up and he extends an arm to grab Jiyong’s elbow, trying to pull him closer.

“There he is!”

His words are slurred, a sign that he definitely drank more than he should and Jiyong sighs. Casting a side glance to his boss, she only gives him an innocent look and raises her glass at him.

“He missed all the fun.”

Turning to look up at Seunghyun, Jiyong’s eyes turn gentle and he sneaks a hand around his friend’s back.

“Are you okay?” he mumbles, he still remembers how Seunghyun just vanished out of the bathroom just 15 minutes earlier and now he’s drinking, being his old funny and giggly self.

“Never been better, Jiyongie~,” he sings, the words ending in a fit of giggles that Bom joins right away and Jiyong feels like he misses some private joke just between the two.

There is no way Seunghyun can still drive them home like this.

“Hyung, I thought you didn’t want to drink much?”

Jutting his bottom lip forward, Seunghyun looks at Jiyong with such an innocent look that melts Jiyong’s heart on the spot.

“Well you weren’t here to stop me,” he argues, drawing a chuckle from the smaller man.

Leave it to Seunghyun to go into kid mode.

“But I am now. Maybe we should go home, what do you think hmm?” he says while rubbing his hyung’s back, for keeping him steady but also because he wants an excuse to touch him.

He can feel Seoyeon and Bom watching their interaction with curious eyes but Jiyong doesn’t give them much thought, his main priority is Seunghyun.

“You can’t drive my car tho, you drank as well,” Seunghyun points out matter of factly, a thoughtful look settling on his features that looks rather adorable. Like a puppy, Jiyong thinks and chuckles.

“What’s so funny?”

Jiyong smiles and shakes his head, his eyes roaming Seunghyun’s face and suddenly, he understands what Soohyuk meant earlier when he said he is an open book when it comes to people he cares about.

Seunghyun looks at him with such an honest and raw expression, can see the little sparks that dance at the corner of his eyes and the twitch of his lips with every sweep of Jiyong’s gaze.

It’s been painfully obvious the whole time and Jiyong wonders just how stupid he has been all this time.

“Nothing. Let’s just call a cab and get you home, hyung.”


End file.
